The present invention relates to a method for dehydrating a waste hydrocarbon sludge, especially for dehydrating an aged waste oil sludge in the form of a water-in-oil emulsion, an oil-in-water emulsion or mixtures thereof.
In the course of completion, production and refining of crude oils and other hydrocarbons, a waste oil sludge is frequently produced which consists of an emulsion of water and oil such as a water-in-oil emulsion or an oil-in-water emulsion or a mixture thereof, which is itself difficult to dispose of in an environmentally acceptable manner, and which further contains components which, if separated, are valuable components for other processes.
Conventional processes exist for dehydrating a heavy hydrocarbon, but these processes typically require large amounts of additives, and/or heating for long periods and at high temperatures, and are inefficient for use with emulsionated waste oil sludge.
Thus, the need remains for a method for dehydrating a waste oil sludge which is efficient and cost effective and which provides for a desirable reduction of water and solids content in the resulting commercially valuable hydrocarbon phase.
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a method for dehydrating a waste hydrocarbon sludge wherein formation water is advantageously used as wash water.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method for dehydrating a waste hydrocarbon sludge which utilizes greatly reduced amounts of additives and, thereby, is more cost effective.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method for dehydrating a waste oil sludge which produces useful end products including crudes with commercial value, and production water ready for final disposal.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear hereinbelow.